Self-Employment Success Podcast

Welcome back to What Works Wednesday! Today, I’m sharing why personal finance is more personal than just numbers. In my work with LLCs and other closely held businesses, I focus on how life’s transitions—like moving homes, starting a family, or managing aging parents—impact financial decisions. These personal moments shape our financial strategies and the freedom entrepreneurship offers. Let’s dive into how connecting with these personal aspects can enhance our financial planning.

My guest on today’s podcast is Daniel Shear. Daniel and his wife are the founders of Seasons Yield Farm, a Bakery & Farm in the Heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia that offers organic, wood-fired, wild-leavened sourdough breads and pastries, whose mission is to connect their community with nourishing products, wonderful people, and the crafts of talented local artisans. In this episode Daniel shares his journey from being in special operations in the army to making a stark transition and moving to rural America to start a farm with his wife, after making the decision to be more present as a husband and father. Daniel shares how they started Bread Days every other week that now bring hundreds (sometimes a thousand) people together around bread, coffee, wood fired pizza, and community. This community and hospitality piece of their business has been pivotal to their success. And listen to the end as Daniel shares the 5 ways he defines success in the different areas of his life. So with that introduction, I hope you enjoy this episode of the Self-Employment Success Podcast with Daniel Shear. 

https://seasonsyieldfarm.com/

Welcome to this week's What Works Wednesday! Today, we're diving into passive income. Despite the hype, there's a lot to unpack about what it truly means. We'll explore the definitions, pros and cons, and the differences between passive and active income. From real estate rentals to selling courses, we'll clarify misconceptions and highlight the real work involved. Join us to understand how passive income can fit into your financial strategy.

My guest on today’s podcast is Nic Johnson. Nic is the founder of Listwise, a business designed to help home owners sell their home for the highest price possible, by creating incentive compensation for the real estate agent beyond the typical flat 3% model that has been in place for the last 100 years. They do this by aligning incentives, encouraging competition among agents, and therefore fostering a win win for both parties, because as the agent delivers more value, they make more money. In this episode we talk about value, because all businesses (especially service businesses) should be paid in accordance to the value they deliver. If you deliver massive value, you should be paid accordingly over someone who delivers standard value. What I love about Nic is his vision and thoughtfulness. He is really passionate about doing what is best for the seller, and you can tell that by the way he has created Listwise and how the mechanics of it work to the betterment of the seller and agent before the benefit of Listwise. And be sure to listen to the end as Nic shares his definition of success as the pursuit of gratitude over the pursuit of chasing external things. So with that introduction, I hope you enjoy this episode of the Self-Employment Success Podcast with Nic Johnson. 

Welcome back to What Works Wednesday with your host, Leland Gross, and today we’re simplifying how investments make money.

Investments typically generate returns in three ways:

1. Dividends: Companies share profits with shareholders.
2. Interest: Earned from lending money through bonds or savings accounts.
3. Appreciation: Increase in the value of assets over time.

Understanding these can help you make smarter investment choices and grow your wealth effectively. Tune in to learn more!

My guest on today’s podcast is JB Anderson. JB is the founder of Taxus Street Coffee, a local coffee shop and roastery located in Chesapeake Virginia. In this episode JB shares his story of entrepreneurship. Straight out of high school he started working as a personal trainer. After moving to Chesapeake Virginia to start a job with a ministry called Young Life, JB lived with some guys who taught him that “not all coffee is made the same”. It was there that he fell in love with coffee and decided to purchase a coffee roaster and teach himself how to roast coffee out of his garage. JB uses his coffee shop as a platform to care for high school kids in his area- including some who don’t have stable housing situations. In this episode we talk in depth about the power of being able to speak into someone’s life and believe in them. From people who did that in our lives, to how as a leader you can do that in your own spheres. And be sure to listen to the end as JB shares his definition of success, as being humble enough to ask for forgiveness. So with that introduction, I hope you enjoy this episode of the Self-Employment Success Podcast with JB Anderson. 

Welcome back to another episode of "What Works Wednesday" with your host, Leland Gross. This week, we're diving into a crucial topic for many parents: saving and planning for your kids' future. Whether it's college, trade school, or just ensuring they have a solid financial foundation, the options can be overwhelming. Leland breaks down three main methods to set up savings, highlighting the pros and cons of each and touches on tax implications and the importance of maximizing your investments. Tune in for practical tips and strategies to ensure a financially secure future for your children.

What does financial planning and photography have in common? More than I thought before this episode. Welcome to the Self-Employment Success Podcast. My guest on today’s podcast is William Leaton. William is the founder of William Sumner Photography, a wedding photography business located in Virginia. What’s unique about William is that he is only 3 months into running his business full time. In this episode you can sense the freshness, vibrance, and vitality that William has for his business, along with his honesty in the challenges and what he is learning. William shares how he thinks about wedding photography as more than merely cute pictures for instagram, but as a way to capture this incredibly powerful moment in a couple’s life where they start their life together and how that isn’t a one and done thing. He talks about how they will see these photos for the rest of their lives and even beyond their lives, their kids and grandkids will see them. Photographs are a way to transport us back to our heritage and remind us of what we’re doing in our family and with our spouse. We talk alot about vision and legacy in this episode and how if you can get clear on that, and can communicate the deep value you provide, then what you do is priceless for people. So with that introduction I hope you enjoy this episode of the Self-Employment Success Podcast with William Leaton. 

https://williamsumnerphoto.com/

Instagram williamsumnerphoto

Welcome to What Works Wednesday. Today, we're exploring health savings accounts (HSAs)—what they are, why they're important, how to qualify, and how to maximize their benefits. HSAs are powerful yet underutilized tools that offer triple tax advantages: tax-deductible contributions, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free withdrawals for medical expenses. Let's dive into how to make the most of your HSA.

My guest on today’s podcast is Hannah Johnson. Hannah is the founder of Delightful Deliveries, a business providing personalized pop-by services to businesses trying to stay top of mind with their clients, prospects, and referral partners. In this episode Hannah shares her journey of Self-Employment. She started by helping her husband create and deliver pop-by’s and in doing so found that other services over charge to just drop off raw supplies that you then had to assemble and deliver yourself. She explains how that inspired her to do it differently and how after doing it well for her husband and his team, it grew and expanded into a full blown success. Hannah shares how impactful this business has been and not just for her own family. She has had the opportunity to retire her mother from a job she hated, helped local businesses thrive by using their products (shout out to Farmer John), and gotten to see the businesses she works with succeed by staying top of mind with their clients through her services. Hannah is a joy to be around and her business truly is catching fire. So with that introduction, I hope you enjoy this episode of the Self-Employment Success Podcast with Hannah Johnson.